


Movement of the Gods

by Sinnameg



Category: American Gods (TV), American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Genre: Bar Room Brawl, Canon-Typical Violence, Mad Sweeney FUCKS, Multi, No Mad Sweeney won't die in this, Self-Insert, Some pining, more tags to come, this is so fucking self indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2020-02-16 05:42:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18685279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinnameg/pseuds/Sinnameg
Summary: I wanted my self insert in the American Gods universe so I put her in it. Because I can and I needed it. Just posting here so y'all can enjoy it too lololololFollow me on Tumblr: nasti-imagines.tumblr.com





	1. Chapter 1

Sitting in the cold of the airport, Eliza sighed. The wife of her best friend was dead and she was trying to get to him before the funeral. After calling the prison he had been housed in and learning that Shadow had been released from prison a few days earlier, she had booked the first flight up to Indiana. It was a haul, and the layover had her brain frazzled. She leaned back in her seat, sighing once again as her head fell backwards.

A familiar voice sounded at the ticket counter, and she looked over her shoulder. There was the back of Shadow Moon’s head, dark and smooth and shining in the light. Her heart beat hard, eyes bright as she stared at the back of his head. He got his ticket and turned around, dark eyes looking sad and heavy. It hurt to see him in so much pain. She stood and walked halfway to him, a hand clenching by her side when his eyes landed on her form.

Shadow mouthed her name before he half jogged the rest of the way to her, thick arms wrapping tight around her body and crushing her close to himself. They were both quiet as they hugged, Eliza standing on the tips of her toes to pet her hand over the back of his head and neck in a soothing manner, her heart aching with the way he shook against her. Her poor Shadow, poor thing, such a sweet man that deserved much more and much better than what he had been given and been through.

“Come sit down, Shadow,” she murmured as she pulled away, taking his hand gently and leading him to where her stuff was sitting. The tiny seats didn’t allow much maneuvering, but Eliza held Shadow’s big hand in both of her own and turned towards him as much as she could in the little seats they were in. Shadow looked bone tired, and she pressed a gentle kiss to his temple as she pulled him into a tight hug.

She had missed him, in the three years he had been locked up, and had missed spending time with her favorite person in the world. She’d never say it to his face, but Eliza had always known that Laura was nothing good for Shadow. She knew it from the moment the woman had first called him puppy instead of his given name, and how she had become cold to him.

“Laura’s dead,” Shadow murmured as he stared at her tiny hands around his own, and she nodded her head. “I don’t know what to do now, honestly.”

“I know, honey… I’m so sorry,” she sighed.

A sniffle sounded as he leaned forward, his eyes pressing into her shoulder. One of her hands rubbed over his neck, soft shushing sounding. 

“You’re okay now, Shadow. I got you, you’re okay,” Eliza added with another gentle kiss to his skin. Shadow sighed softly, pulling away as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. She smiled gently against Shadow’s head, though it was a sad smile. “I’ll keep you safe now. You know I will.”

Shadow let out a wet laugh against her shoulder as he curled his arms around her waist, squeezing tight enough to steal her breath.

“I know you will, El, I know.”

In the car with Shadow, Eliza watched the scenery pass by. She’d rented the car for them, and Shadow paid her back by driving. She knew he wasn’t going to last much longer, gaze catching on the tightening of his fingers on the steering wheel over and over. He was pissed, and itched to do something, and she let him build it up.

“Gonna take a break,” he stated, and she nodded.

“Take your time, Shadow. Get it out, whatever you need,” she replied in a sweet voice, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder in reassurance.

Shadow pulled off to a canyon, climbed out, and stood at the edge. Eliza thought back to the old man they had met in first class, Mr. Wednesday, and thought over who she thought he was. His demeanor, the name, the eye comment, everything screamed otherworldly to her. It screamed god, and it screamed Odin. Her skin crawled with the feeling and the knowledge of meeting the god she worshiped and gave her prayers to. He knew her, from the way he spoke, and knew they had a connection.

The sound of Shadow’s deep, heart wrenching scream leveraged her from her thoughts, and Eliza climbed out of the car to stand just behind him. Once he was done and had it out of his system, he turned to give her another backbreaking hug. She cooed gently, shushed him, and rubbed his back. Anything to help him, anything to make him better off.

“Let me drive now, Shadow. You need some sleep, you’re exhausted,” she offered up when he pulled away. Shadow leaned his cheek into her palm when she cupped his face, a thumb running over his cheekbone. His eyes were soft and tired when he stared at Eliza, her words taking a minute to register correctly in her head. He nodded slowly when he understood what she offered, and gave her the keys to the car with heavy hands.

They both climbed into the car, switching positions with ease. Shadow was asleep the moment they were on the highway, his snores filling the car and drowning out the music Eliza had playing on the radio. Though it was loud snoring, she didn’t mind it. It was knowledge that Shadow was resting, knowledge that he was getting sleep.

Eliza was thankful for small luxuries, and murmured her thanks to Freyja, hoping that her lady was as real as Odin was.

Shadow woke up when they passed into Indiana, sometime deep in the night when Eliza felt fatigue settling at the back of her mind like a bad cold. He murmured something about food as he rubbed his eyes, and she agreed. He woke slowly and they switched positions again, Eliza getting a nap in before they pulled into the parking lot of a hole in the wall bar.

Half an hour later and Shadow was at their table with Odin himself again, and he was asking her for what she wanted to drink. She stared at him, deep in his eyes, and felt his power in her soul, buried somewhere deep in her bones.

“Water, plain and simple,” she replied simply. Mr. Wednesday laughed a bit at the answer, shaking his head in wonder. Eliza huffed, shaking her head right back. “I don’t drink, Mr. Wednesday. Don’t have the taste for it, and don’t have the blood for it either,” she replied simply as she looked over the newspaper Shadow had placed in front of her.

While he flipped his coin and Wednesday went away for their drinks, Eliza read the obituary, and felt even more pain in her heart for Shadow.

She was surprised by the smell of tobacco and sweat that came up behind them as she set the newspaper on the table. Eliza looked over her shoulder at the tall, redheaded man that chattered about coin tricks. He plucked gold coins from the air with an air of swagger that had Eliza’s cunt pulsing in time with her heart. Her breath hitched when his eyes met her, the peek of his cherry red tongue showing with a flash of gold as he spit a coin into his cup.

Oh, she was in trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

He had the same air as Wednesday- the air of something immortal and divine and dangerous. She could feel it in her bones and instead of the fear that Wednesday spiked in her soul, this redhead spiked admiration and familiarity. The Irish brogue made her smile, and Eliza rested her chin on her hand as she watched the redhead. He was called Mad Sweeney by Wednesday, and his eyes were glued on her. Eliza flushed happily under the attention, holding her hand out to him.

“I’m Elizabeth. Nice to meet you, Mad Sweeney,” she hummed with a bright smile.

Sweeney grinned in return, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles with a soft curse. “You’ve Irish in ya, little woman,” he seemed to purr, and she nodded with a happy little giggle. Eliza could feel the confused gaze on her back from Shadow, and knew it was because he had never heard that giggle before.

“My grandfather was full blooded Irish, had hair as red as yours I’m told,” she chirped, proud of the fact, and Sweeney let out a soft sigh. He seemed so happy to be with someone who knew his blood, knew his world, and she smiled more. Wednesday pulled Shadow into a conversation as Sweeney moved to the dartboard, his attention on Eliza.

“Have y’any business with Fae? Not many have belief strong as yours, miss Elizabeth,” he offered up as his darts landed bullseyes every time. Eliza shrugged one shoulder, her gaze on his strong profile. If she were a better artist, she’d have her sketchbook out and would be drawing that gorgeous nose.

“I believe in them, and believe it’s best not to trifle with them. I’d rather not be spirited away or eaten by a kelpie.”

Sweeney barked out a laugh, turning to her and pinching a golden coin from behind her ear. He placed it in her hand, a grin on his face. “Real gold, y’know. Yer trifling with one of the Wee Folk now, wit me. ‘M a leprechaun,” he stated simply. Eliza didn’t doubt it, as her mind confirmed it. That was why he was so enigmatic, felt so different. 

“In that case, remind me to never give you my thanks, Mad Sweeney. I know how you Wee Folk operate,” she offered, voice teasing. Mad Sweeney grinned even wider, his face splitting into a giant smile that Eliza never imagined. His big hand rested on her knee as he leaned in. The leprechaun’s breath smelled of tobacco and Jack and coke, but Eliza breathed it in almost greedily. He smiled a bit at her reaction, his hand sliding up to squeeze her thigh.

“I’d ne’er spirit y’away, lovely. Not unless y’wanted me to. An’ even then, I’d be hesitant. Just take a bit o’ gold, blessins of the leprachaun,” he murmured to her. Eliza swallowed hard and nodded, her free hand resting on Sweeney’s and giving it a squeeze.

“I’ll cherish it always,” she breathed before pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, the wiry hair of his beard roughing up her soft skin. The kiss shocked both Sweeney and Shadow, if the former’s eyes growing huge and the latter’s voice sounding in a curse were any indications. Eliza felt herself preen at being able to shock two giant men, and smiled to herself as she pressed a small hand to Sweeney’s chest and pushed him away gently.

She hopped off her seat, excused herself, and went to the restroom. No one except herself and Shadow would know that she put an extra swing to her hips, wanting to show herself off some for the redhead that made her lose her mind. In the bathroom she allowed herself the giddy laughter that bubbled up in her guts, one hand over her mouth as she laughed happily in the mirror. The attention was intoxicating, and she could feel her cheeks growing hot from the thought of Sweeney thinking of her.

It took a minute for her to calm down, patting the back of her neck with a wet paper towel. Eliza stood straight and put on her sweetest grin, stepping out of the bathroom.  
She stepped out into the middle of a fucking brawl.

Shadow and Sweeney were in the middle of a fight, or maybe the beginnings of it. Sweeney was stripping his shirts off, crowing about a lesson being learned. Eliza met Shadow’s eyes and trotted to him, one hand in the middle of his chest. “Shadow, don’t,” she breathed to him, and he shook his head. She knew he was stubborn, knew he would fight even if she told him not to, but she had to try at least.

“It isn’t going to help. Do you really wanna go back having had your shit rocked?” she asked, cupping his jaw and making him look down at her. “C’mon, honey, don’t do this.”  
“He insulted Laura,” Shadow breathed to her, his eyes hurting.

Eliza let her hands drop to Shadow’s chest again as she nodded, understanding. Shadow was fiercely protective of his friends and his wife, and he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t fight for his dead wife’s honor. She stepped back, turning to Sweeney and stepping towards him.

His grin was feral when she stepped close and beckoned him down. “Y’gonna kiss me good luck? Don’t need it, got m’own luck. But I’ll take it from ya,” he chuckled. Eliza’s eyes narrowed, one of her hands curling into a fist. She could see that Sweeney was already bruising from Shadow’s first hit, and she decided to give him some more.

Sweeney was about to snark again when she wound back and landed a strong punch in the meat of his guts. He crumpled in half, cheekbone catching on the knee she sent into his face. Eliza huffed as she walked back to their table, taking their place and picking up the golden coin.

“Remind me to tip the bartender nicely when we leave,” she said to Wednesday as the fight began. He just laughed and nodded, watching Shadow and Sweeney go at it. Eliza knew he was feeding off this, feeding off the blood spilled in something that was no doubt in his own honor. She ran her thumb over the face of the coin, feeling each groove.

“Allfather,” she stated, and Wednesday’s head snapped to face her.

“So you do know me. I thought you would,” he replied simply, a smile coming onto his face. Eliza continued to run her thumb over the coin, her eyes trained on the shining gold.

“I didn’t know you were here. Always thought you and the Aesir were real, just… Not here,” she explained, drawing a laugh from Wednesday.

“Here on Midgard, or here in America?”

“Both. Are the others here as well? In America, on Midgard? I want to know, see if I can speak with Freyja.”

“Unfortunately, m’dear, I think I’m the only one left in America. The others went back to our homes in Norway and Sweden. You’ll have to go there if you want to talk with the fair lady.”

Eliza nodded, eyes shooting t Wednesday before she turned her focus to the fight continuing in front of them. Shadow had Sweeney against the bar, beating the shit out of his face, and Eliza felt herself wincing at the sight.

“What are you wanting with Shadow, Wednesday? Why does the Allfather need my Moon?” she asked after a few minutes. Wednesday breathed in deeply, humming as Shadow knocked Sweeney to the ground. The fight was almost over.

“I need a bodyguard. And a believer. There’s a war coming, my dear girl. A I will be at the head of it. Your dear Moon will be my helper and confidant, once he finds his belief. I don’t intend on him being hurt at all.”

Eliza scoffed, sipping her water and crunching down on an ice cube. “Everyone that follows a god of war ends up being hurt, you should know that. I’m going to be with you, but only for Shadow. My faith may belong to you, but I don’t want anything except to help him,” she explained, finally looking Wednesday in the eyes. 

He grinned and nodded, downing his drink and taking a swig of Sweeney’s as well. Shadow stumbled to the table, accepting the water that Eliza handed him. He almost fell when he slumped in his seat, eyes heavy and pained. She cooed over him, wiped his blood and bruises, sending a glare to Wednesday. So much for Shadow not being harmed, the bastard.

Sweeney settled in the chair behind Eliza, still holding his gut and his cheekbone from where she had gotten him. “Y’hurt me real good, lovely,” he whined. Eliza rolled her eyes before turning to him and dabbing at the many little cuts on his face. Sweeney’s dark eyes followed her as she worked, his complaints sounding any time she went near his broken nose. 

“If you keep complaining I’ll give a broken neck to go with your nose,” Eliza snapped when she had enough, and the leprechaun piped down in an instant. The look he gave her was that of a kicked puppy, even if she hated the comparison. It reminded her of Laura, and she wanted to be completely different than that bitch. Her thumbs pressed Sweeney’s nose into place, his eyes screwed shut as he almost howled in pain.

Once he was calmed and Shadow was a bit more awake, Sweeney taught him the coin trick. Eliza watched and repeated the steps, laughing when she plucked a golden coin from the air.

They split apart in the parking lot, a drunken Sweeney wheedling for her to kiss him. Wednesday had left with her rental car, assuring her he’d be back in a jiffy. As he climbed out of a stranger’s car, thanking the driver, Eliza huffed a laugh.

“Jus’ one kiss, lovey. Twon’t kill you,” Sweeney breathed into her neck. His big hands framed her, pressing into the metal of the Cadillac she perched on the trunk of. Shadow was asleep in the back of the car, snoring deeply. Eliza sighed as she looked at the leprechaun, at the way he could barely stand still without swaying.

“We’ll both be addicted,” she murmured to herself as she cupped Sweeney’s chin and tipped his head up out of the crook of her neck as best as she could. He was heavy headed, still whining and begging, and Wednesday gave her a little smirk when he climbed into the Cadillac. Eliza sighed before looping her fingers in Sweeney’s fiery mohawk, pulling enough to make his head lift and his gravelly voice sound in a deep moan.

“I’ll kiss you when you’re sober, Sweeney,” she promised before nudging him away from the car. She slid over the trunk, climbing into the passenger’s seat next to Wednesday. Sweeney was still in the parking lot, staring after them, long after they had left its parking lot. Eliza knew he was begging them to return.

It made her heart hurt.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I needed some gentleness with Shadow and friends are allowed to be gentle and soft with one another.

Shadow looked handsome in his suit, even if Eliza did hate the marks on his face from the previous night’s brawl with Mad Sweeney. As he stood in the parking lot of the church, letting Eliza adjust his tie, he looked more like a scared boy than an ex convict. He murmured his thanks to her as she fixed his collar, adjusting it and laying her hands on his shoulders when she was done.

“Are you sure you want to do this alone?” she asked, for the third time, and Shadow looked down at her. The more he thought about it, Eliza knew that he was having his doubts about being able to face this funeral by himself. He bit his lower lip, and took in a breath.

“Just… Walk me in, and then we can… We can see,” he offered.

Eliza nodded her head and linked her arm in his, squeezing his forearm as they walked into the church. She stayed by his side down the halls, settling into the pew next to him. When she saw Audrey, Eliza reached over Shadow’s lap and grabbed the woman’s hand, squeezing in a comforting way. Audrey took a minute to recognize her, sniffling and squeezing her hand back when Shadow whispered Eliza’s name to her.

When Shadow went up to the open casket, Eliza slid next to Audrey, hugging her. “I’m so sorry, Audrey. I can’t imagine what this is like for you,” she murmured to the blonde. Audrey let out a watery laugh, shaking her head. She had the air of a woman twice her age, and one on a hell of a lot of drugs as well.

“Robbie’s funeral was even more sparse than this. Somehow I wish more people were here, so I could tell them the truth,” Audrey grumbled. Shadow returned and took his place between them, sending Audrey on a small tirade about what had happened.

An affair on both sides, Robbie and Laura had been fucking while Shadow was locked up. At the news, Eliza felt rage bubble hot as lava in her gut, her hand squeezing Shadow’s tightly. It was a hell of a way for him to learn about it. Eliza desperately wished she could bring Laura back from the dead just to beat her back to death.

The funeral was somber, the only noises being the casket lowering and the gasps as it became stuck and then fell a couple feet. Eliza stayed by Shadow’s side until he begged her to leave, needing time to himself. She pressed the coin that he and Sweeney had fought for into his hand, pressed a kiss to his head, and stood from the gravestone they sat on. Audrey passed her, on her way to see Shadow, and Eliza paused her for a tight hug.

“Be easy with yourself, Audrey, and with Shadow. Call me if you need any help, okay?” she offered gently, and Audrey sniffled with a small nod, smiling her thanks to Eliza.

“I just wanna talk to Shadow now, but I’ll be in touch,” she assured as she squeezed Eliza’s arms, giving her a gentle kiss to her cheek. Eliza nodded, hugging the woman tight again, and watched as she made her way to Shadow.

 

When Eliza got the call from Shadow that he was in the hospital, her heart stopped. Though she hated it, her mind went to Audrey, to what she could have done. Then she reprimanded herself. Though the woman was full of grief and anger, she was tiny compared to Shadow. Which meant it was a stranger that had attacked him.

She flew into the hospital, and flew into Shadow’s room, red hair flowing behind her like a curtain. Shadow sighed when she cradled his head to her chest, shushing and petting his head while he had staples placed in the soft meat of his side. His nose looked broken, there was a myriad of cuts on his face, and the bruises around his neck showed the pinnacle of his abuse. Someone had tried to lynch him, string him up high in a tree and break his windpipe. It made Eliza’s blood boil, evem as she ran gentle fingertips over his dark skin, tears welling in her eyes. Shadow shushed her, wiping her tears with his thumb, and promised he was okay. He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, murmuring his promises, and she nodded along with him. She cupped his head in her hands, rubbing her fingers over his cheekbones.

“Do you have a clue who hurt you, Shadow?” Eliza asked, and he shook his head. He sighed when she nodded before pressing a kiss to his brow. Shadow stood slowly, grunting as he leaned a fair portion of his weight on her. Eliza murmured encouragement as she helped him walk out of the doors of the small hospital, letting him slump in the passenger seat of the car.

Shadow was quiet during their ride back to the motel, his hand resting with Eliza’s on the center console. He kept his eyes closed, making soft, pained noises any time they hit a bump on the road. Eliza murmured her apologies, Shadow replying with a gentle rub of his thumb over her knuckles. In the motel parking lot, she pulled into the spot next to Betty, and helped Shadow climb out of the car.

“Let me talk with Wednesday,” he offered, and she nodded as she pulled her key out. Eliza lingered by the door of her motel and listened to Shadow yelling at Wednesday, showing him the rope marks on his neck. Wednesday caught her eyes when Shadow turned away, and he knew he saw the fury in her gaze.

“An insult to you is an insult to me, Shadow,” Wednesday called as Shadow stumbled to her side, and she snorted as she let her best friend into her room. Eliza helped him get himself cleaned up, drawing a bath for him and letting him take over the bathroom for the next couple hours. She changed into her bed clothes, pulling the motel duvet off the bed and crawling under the sheets with a soft sigh. It had been a long while since she had been in a decent bed, switching between car and plane and car again.

Eliza was half asleep when Shadow came out of the bathroom, smelling clean and wrapped in a towel. She rested while he changed into his pajama pants and slid a clean shirt over his stapled side. He climbed slowly into the bed with her, and she opened her eyes to look at him with a small smile on her face.

“Hey, Shadow,” she murmured to him, letting him press close to her and wrap his arms around her chest. Eliza ran her fingers over his head, rubbing the smooth skin behind and under his ear.

“Hey, Eliza. Thank you,” he breathed. She smiled with a nod, Shadow’s head resting on her collarbone after he had looked at her for awhile.

“You’re welcome. I’ll always take care of you, honey. You’re my best friend, one of the things I believe in the most,” she explained in a soft, gentle voice. Shadow chuckled, and she could feel the hot tears that slipped from his eyes. He needed to cry, she knew that, and she held him while he did. She even cried with him, sharing the grief he felt in his heart, and they held one another as they cried together.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Zoryas and Czernobog come around, along with a familiar face.

“Road maps, vodka, romance novels. The fuck does Wednesday think this stuff is important for?”

Eliza shrugged as she picked up a few of the trashy looking romance novels and dropped them in the shopping cart. She hated shopping, hated wandering the fluorescent aisles, and itched desperately to be out of this shitty store.

“No clue, but I just want out of here,” she grunted.

Shadow looked at her over his shoulder, smiling a bit. He walked behind her, big hands rubbing her shoulders as they walked through the aisles and grabbed the things they needed for their visit to Wednesday’s friends. Eliza sighed as Shadow got a particularly sore spot on her back, a dull pop sounding in the middle of her back and making a deep rush of air escape her mouth.

“There we go. Better for now?” Shadow asked, grinning even more as she nodded and mewled her thanks to him. He always made her feel better, no matter the situation. He calmed her down in the crowded, loud areas that made her heard pound desperately and her head cloud with panic. And she was so thankful for that.

He graced her pale forehead with a kiss, his big hand squeezing her shoulder before he broke away to look over the list of items they needed.

When they stepped into the television aisle, Eliza paused to spy the weather before she locked eyes with the show I Love Lucy, and Lucy Ricardo smiled. Then she turned her attention to Shadow and began talking to him about lamb’s blood and attention and people underestimating him. At that, Eliza laughed, drawing Lucy’s attention.

“Lucy, people have been underestimating Shadow for years. It’s nothing new. And let us know who beat the shit out of him, so I can rip their throats out,” she said simply, and Lucy raised one perfectly arched brow as a grin split her face.

“I have a feeling I know who, but it won’t do you much good to rip his throat out. He’s a god, you know, honey.”

“I’ve dealt with gods, I think I can get revenge on one.”

Lucy laughed, deep in her throat, and shook her head in amusement at Eliza’s response. She didn’t deem to give her a response, making Eliza’s anger spark a moment. Lucy’s attention returned to Shadow, and she gave him a smile one could only describe as sensual.

“Shadow, anything your man is paying you, I’ll pay more. Double, triple, anything you want. Hey, you two ever wanna see Lucy’s tits?”

Eliza scoffed as she yanked the cables for the televisions, shutting off Lucy and silencing her as the televisions faded to black. She grabbed Shadow’s hand and pulled him away from the aisle. Static sounded, followed by Lucy’s voice continuing to rumble after them, calling for devotion and care. Shadow followed his friend, smiling just a bit as she grumbled to herself about gods and their offers and riddles. He let Eliza drive the cart around while they continued shopping, placing on large hand on her shoulder when she seemed too in her head and not paying enough attention to the world around her.

“Hey, El, calm down,” he murmured when she looked up at him, and she took in a breath. 

“I just hate that she assumes you’d be bribed by an old TV character’s tits, or a ton of money,” she grumbled, shaking her head. Shadow laughed at that, pulling the redhead into a hug. Eliza grumbled as she rubbed her forehead against his chest, arms coming around his waist. She squeezed him tightly, making Shadow grunt and laugh, his fingers pinching lightly at her neck to make her giggle. Once she had calmed, Eliza broke away from her friend but kept his hand on her shoulder as they finished shopping.

“What do you think that was, with Lucy?” he asked as they were checking out, Eliza bagging their items and placing them in the cart they had grabbed. Eliza shrugged one shoulder, intent not to talk about whoever was posing as Lucy Ricardo. The mere thought of her made Eliza’s blood boil, and she didn’t want to be mad around Shadow.

“I don’t have any clue, and not a damn to give about it,” she replied with a little laugh as they walked out of the store with Shadow by her side. He took the cart back as Eliza put all of their groceries in the backseat of Betty, letting her take the wheel for him to take a small nap.

He was still so tired after the ordeal he had been through, and she had no qualms about giving him time to rest and recover. The bruises from his lynching were still deep purple, angry and stark even against his skin. It hurt her to still see them, to know that someone had hurt Shadow so badly that he still wore the marks and was affected by it even days afterwards.

Her mind wandered as she drove, enough of her attention on the road that she wouldn’t crash Betty. Mainly her mind went to what she’d do to the person that had harmed Shadow, with the arguments she would have with them as well. It was bold, for her to believe she could take on a god- especially one that had done such a number on Shadow. Part of her felt that it was prideful, that she wouldn’t be able to do it, but another part decided that she would do it anyways, damn the hubristic side.

When they met up with Wednesday, Shadow slid into the backseat so his boss could take the front, and got back to his napping. Eliza followed Wednesday’s directions to the apartment building where their new friends were, and asked him questions about the Zorya sisters and Czernobog.

“They’re old Slavic gods. The Zoryas open the gates for their father at dawn and dusk, and they watch the skies all hours of the day and night to assure that we here are safe. Czernobog is my hammer, an old god of death. He’s a hardass bastard, and difficult to convince to go anywhere he doesn’t want to,” Wednesday explained. Eliza nodded, humming softly.

“They sound nice, I’m excited to meet them,” she said with a smile, Wednesday replying with a happy laugh.

“I’m happy about that, m’dear. I’ve half a mind they’ll like you.”

Though she loved the Zorya women, Eliza had to head out to her hotel room when the old god Czernobog began his chain smoking. Her first few coughs brought concerned glances and Czernobog’s annoyed grunts. As she continued, the middle Zorya sister had paused their dinner and led her out of the apartment with gentle hands. The redhead leaned over the bannister as she coughed, wheezing and trying to catch her breath. Shadow’s hand rested on her back suddenly and she reached back for the inhaler she knew he had in his other hand.

As her lungs stopped squeezing shut, Eliza could feel the drowsiness settle in her bones. She breathed deep once she was able to, standing up straight and running a hand over the flyaways on the top of her head. Shadow ran a hand up her back and she smiled a bit at him, though her eyes were tired. She stepped back into the apartment to say her goodbyes and thanks to the Zorya sisters, ignoring Czernobog’s comment of her having weak lungs. Shadow walked her out of the apartment building to where Betty was parked, opening the door for her.

It hadn’t taken long for them to get back to the motel, and though Eliza felt guilty for having to leave the meeting with the Slavic gods, she was relieved to have time for herself. She’d been around Wednesday and Shadow constantly, with barely a moment alone.. She kept the television off, not wanting to see Lucy Ricardo again, and slept most of the time. The next day, she headed out to meet both Wednesday and Shadow for their lunch. Their discussion was only half interesting to Eliza, and she focused on her food while the men talked.

When Mad Sweeney rolled into the restaurant, Eliza could barely hide her excitement. A wide smile came onto her face when she saw him, and Sweeney smiled in return. He moved around the table to sit next to her, picking food off her plate. She twisted to lay one leg over Sweeney’s knees, making the leprechaun grin. His hot hand rested on her thigh, thumb running in a slow circle as he confronted Shadow. She half listened to the argument, only putting herself between them when Shadow had lunged at Sweeney. Having enough of their fighting, Eliza caught Sweeney’s beard in her fingers, making him pause and gnash his teeth at her.

“Stop insulting Laura,” she demanded, tugging on Sweeney’s beard so he would look at her. He nodded, though, and she patted his cheek before scraping off some of her food and Shadow’s onto a spare plate and placing it in front of Sweeney. “I’m going to make sure you have a full belly before you leave,” she said simply, rubbing her hand over his shoulder.

Sweeney murmured his thanks as he squeezed her thigh, then began eating. They allowed Shadow and Wednesday to continue their talk, even though now it was a bit stunted and peppered with insults by Sweeney. When he finished eating, Sweeney rested his arm on the back of Eliza’s chair, his fingers running up and down her shoulder and upper arm. She smiled at the attention, resting her cheek on his arm and soaking up the heat he gave off.

Shadow’s brows furrowed as he watched Sweeney with Eliza, catching her eyes and shaking his head a bit. She smiled just so, knowing that he wasn’t a fan of how close they were already, but she didn’t give too many damns about it. Sweeney was sweet, and handsome, and she adored being near him. She shrugged one shoulder, before speaking up. “Sweeney. Your coin is with Laura, and it’s the source of your luck, isn’t it?”

Sweeney nodded his head, his small smile morphing into a grimace at the mention of Laura. “Aye. And now m’luck is shite. Absolute fucking shite,” he huffed. Eliza squeezed his arm, offering a gentle smile. Sweeney let out a little huff before shaking his head, annoyed as all hell. “And as well, now I’ve no clue where the fuck it is, thanks to your man here.” Shadow rolled his eyes before sighing when Eliza gave him a pointed look.

“It’s in Eagle Point, Indiana, resting on top of my wife’s grave,” Shadow finally admitted, a frown on his face. Sweeney cursed madly, grunting and groaning about cunts and how he didn’t want to fucking travel that far for some dead woman.

“I can go with you if you need, Sweeney. Get you to Eagle Point. My luck’s shit as well, maybe it’ll cancel yours out,” Eliza offered. Sweeney took a minute before he nodded in reply to her offer. Shadow was about to speak his protests when Eliza held up one hand, giving him a pointed look. She wanted to help in any possible way that she could, and that meant, at the moment, helping Sweeney. When Eliza finished her food, she placed her payment for the lunch on the table.

After she stood, she gently tipped Shadow’s head towards herself and kissed his cheekbone. He sighed and smiled, kissing her jaw gently before wishing her luck. She let out a little laugh, squeezing his shoulder before looking at Wednesday.

“You take care of him, Wednesday. If he gets lynched again, I’ll fucking destroy you,” she said simply, one brow raised. Wednesday nodded his head sagely, crossing one finger over his chest in a swear to take care of Shadow. Eliza looked at him for a few moments more before she nodded, following after Sweeney.

“I’ll drive, and get the car as well. Last thing we need is you getting a card declined,” she joked as they walked out of the little restaurant. Sweeney huffed through his nose, shaking his head.

“As much as I hate that, you’re right, lovely. Let’s just hope y’luck cancels mine like y’think,” Sweeney replied as he followed her down the road, one arm slung around her shoulders and pulling her close against his side. Her laughter filled the air as she put her own arm around his hips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly I adore how "lovely" has become Sweeney's go to nickname for Eliza now, it makes me very happy. I can't wait for you guys to see how their relationship progresses in the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza and Sweeney get some alone time, and have a bit of bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, it was 5 pages long on the original Google Doc lol. So excited to do another few chapters like this, along with the upcoming explicit chapter where Sweeney and Eliza finally fuck >:3c

Thankfully, their luck was canceled out. Eliza pulled into the parking lot of the Park View cemetery a few hours after they left Chicago with barely a scratch on their rental car. Sweeney had been grabbing tight at the door handle at every possible danger, cursing in Gaelic whenever he expected something to happen to them. Eliza just gave a goodnatured laugh and reached over to squeeze his thigh to comfort him.

“We’re alright, Sweeney. We survived,” she hummed when she parked, and the leprechaun sighed as he nodded in relief.

“Yeah, we did. M’real happy about it. Thanks for keeping us both safe, lovely.”

Since she knew where it was, Eliza led Sweeney to exactly where Laura’s grave was. Though it would have been hard by himself, Sweeney insisted on digging her up by himself, despite her many protests. She sat atop Laura’s gravestone, watching Sweeney undress and continue digging out Laura’s grave. Something about it made her hackles raise, as she felt gross about digging up someone’s fucking grave, but it was something that was needed.

As he dug, he talked, and Eliza listened. He panted out his years as a king, as a bird, as a saint, and explained his hoard to her. Tons of golden coins and jewels, filled to the brim with them. Eliza smiled, comparing him cheekily to a huge red dragon. As he spoke, she practiced the coin trick that he had taught to her and Shadow, plucking golden coins from the air just as he had.

Sweeney laughed as he took a break from digging, moving to stand between Eliza’s legs. He watched her as she flipped coins and pulled them from her own hair, a smile on his face. She smiled in return, stilling her hands so she wouldn’t smack him at all. Graveyard dirt transferred from his hands to her jeans as he grabbed just above her knees. There was still a thick layer of dirt keeping him from the coffin, so he sunk a bit with his steps.

Sweeney’s height aided in him being able to press his cheek into her shin, even when almost six feet down in a hole. He stared at her a while, eyes soft and sweet. Eliza smiled in return and leaned down, pressing a kiss to his forehead. The leprechaun furrowed his brows as he rubbed his hands up her calves and squeezing under her thighs.  
“That supposed to be that kiss you promised me?” he asked, and she grinned.

“Maybe it is, but who knows. Perhaps you have another kiss coming, if you’re good,” she teased.

Sweeney let out a laugh before continuing to dig, until he reached Laura’s coffin. There was a coin shaped hole in the cover, and Eliza swore when they both saw that the coffin was empty. The dead weren’t supposed to be gone from their coffins. But then again, leprechauns weren’t supposed to be real, and neither were the gods.

“So… what type of coin was that, exactly?” Eliza asked, and Sweeney swore endlessly as he pulled himself up from the grave. He was mad, snarling in Gaelic and kicking dirt up. Eliza watched before climbing off the gravestone and stepping to the huge leprechaun. He growled when she came near, though his bad mood turned around when she wrapped her arms delicately around his belly. He accepted the hug after a minute, his own arms coming around her.

Sweeney was quiet before he spoke up, anger and pain in his voice.

“Was the coin you’d give t’royalty. Not some man to give to his dead fucking wife,” he grunted. Eliza nodded against his chest, her fingers running in gentle circles on his back.

“I picked it up when you and Shadow were fighting. Gave it to him when he asked for it. You think he knew anything about what it was for?” she asked, looking up at him. Sweeney shrugged his broad shoulders before letting out a heavy sounding sigh. Eliza could feel the pain in that simple exhale, knowing that it was only a small part of what haunted Sweeney. Part of her wanted to help him relieve the pain, but she had no idea how that would be possible to do, especially for just one mortal woman.

“I’ve no clue if he knew what it was, lovely. Scares me to think that he gave it to her for this reason,” he admitted. Dirt packed fingers ran over her cheeks, leaving dark streaks on her skin, and she leaned into Sweeney’s touch. One of her own hands cupped his own as she shut her eyes a moment. She loved his warm touch, the smell of him, even when he smelled of freshly turned earth. They stayed like that a moment longer before Eliza sighed, breaking away from him.

“Let’s get the grave put back, then we have to find Audrey. If Laura came back, she’d see her ex best friend first,” she decided, picking up the shovel and letting Sweeney replace the top of Laura’s coffin. Though they had only one shovel, it took only half the time to rebury Laura’s coffin, as they were both working on it together. As Eliza shoveled, Sweeney used his hands to scoop dirt back into the coffin.

Once they were finished, Eliza’s attention was caught by the raven watching them from a distant gravestone. Sweeney cursed at it in Gaelic, making Eliza smile with a shake of her head. She walked to the raven, letting it perch on her finger.

“Are you Huginn, or Muninn?” she asked, and the raven cawed once. “Alright, Huginn. Tell the Allfather that Laura isn’t in her grave. She has Sweeney’s magic coin and has gone zombie on us. But, of course, Shadow can’t know.”

Huginn offered a caw before he hopped onto her shoulder, pulling a strand of hair from her head. Once he had the hair, Huginn hopped down to her hand, then flew off.  
“You’re talkin’ to a fuckin’ bird, lovely. Don’t think that’s a sign of a healthy mind,” Sweeney offered from his spot by Laura’s headstone, making Eliza laugh. She bent to grab Sweeney’s shirts, a smile on her face.

“Oh, hush. The moment you saw it, you started cursing the poor thing. Who just yells at birds for no reason?”

Sweeney snorted once, raising one arm into the air and making her laugh. Eliza took his hand, tugging him out of the cemetery and to their car. Sweeney followed like a happy dog, his hand squeezing hers tightly as they walked. Eliza hummed, hopping on the hood of the car and placing Sweeney’s jean jacket over her shoulders. Just like before in the grave, Sweeney slotted himself between her legs, his hands sliding up and down her thighs gently. She sighed at the contact, running her fingers through his beard lightly and scratching a bit at his cheeks and chin. Sweeney grunted at the feeling, his eyes closing for a moment.

“Y’drive me crazy, little lovely. Always in my damn head, driving me up the fucking wall with your eyes and hair and hips and fuckin’... Everything about you,” he sighed as his head tipped down, his forehead pressed against Eliza’s. She hummed softly, a small smile on her face. She watched his face for a moment before her fingers curled in his beard again and she tipped Sweeney’s face up.

He seemed surprised when Eliza pressed a kiss against his lips, her legs wrapping around his waist. Sweeney grunted happily at the contact, one of his hands slamming down on the hood of the car and the other curled around the curve of Eliza’s hip. A groan slipped out of him as they kissed, Eliza’s tongue slipping against his and her teeth digging just so into his lower lip.

Sweeney groaned again when she pulled back, teeth dug into the eat of his lower lip and tugging it with her movements before she let go with a smirk. He chased her for another kiss, whining unhappily when Eliza moved away with little giggles. Her hands pressed into his chest as his kisses landed on her cheeks and neck instead of her lips. Eliza continued giggling, mushing one of her hands into Sweeney’s face and making him huff unhappily.

“Easy, Sweeney. How about we get to a hotel and continue this, instead of you trying to get inside me in the parking lot of a cemetery?” she offered with a sweet smile, her head tilted to the side. Sweeney let out a laugh as he nodded, stealing one last kiss before he moved away from Eliza. She slid off the hood of the car with a smile, climbing into the driver’s seat. Sweeney followed, settling in the passenger’s seat. His eyes stayed on Eliza as she drove them to one of the hotels in Eagle Point, and she smiled a bit at the attention.

“Did you mean that, what you said? That I drive you crazy?” she asked curiously. Mad Sweeney sighed, nodding his head.

“Yeah, I did. You drive me absolutely insane, lovely. Ever since we first met in that fuckin’ crocodile bar,” he explained, one hand smoothing over her shoulder and squeezing. Eliza hummed happily, a satisfied grin on her face at the fact that she had that effect on him.

In the hotel, Eliza let Sweeney set up the reservation for them as she grabbed the small amount of things that they had brought with them. Sweeney handed her one of the room keys when she walked back into the hotel. His arm curled around her waist as they walked together, and Eliza smiled at the warmth. Their hotel room was small and cozy, with only a singular bed for them to share. Eliza looked at him with an eyebrow raised, chuckling at his sheepish grin.

She certainly didn’t mind sharing a bed with the giant Irishman, but she would have preferred it on her own terms first. Even so, it wasn’t a bad thing. Eliza set to work tugging the little covering off the foot of the bed, then unpacking their things so they were ready for the night. Sweeney, meanwhile, pulled the dirt covered shirt off his form with a sigh.  
“I’ve intense need of a shower, lovely. Mind if I take a shower first?” he asked, his head tilted to the side as he looked at her. Eliza shook her head, smiling.

“Go ahead, Sweeney. I’ll wait out here for my turn,” she assured.

Sweeney headed into the bathroom with a nod, and Eliza heard the water running a few minutes after he had left. She perched on the end of the bed and pulled her phone out, sending Audrey a text message for an update on Laura. As she waited for a reply and for Sweeney to be finished, Eliza flipped through one of the magazines that lay on the end table by her feet. She didn’t pay too much mind to the content, just studied the pictures and ran her fingers over the glossy pages. A call from the bathroom had her head perking up, her brows furrowed in confusion as she pushed the door open. The room was heavily steamed from the intensely hot water that Sweeney had on, and Eliza assumed that he needed help to get the dirt from under his nails.

“Something you need, Sweeney?” she questioned as she stood by the shower. Dirt packed fingernails appeared and pulled the curtain to the side, showing Sweeney’s soaked hair and beard. He grinned from behind a plume of steam before he turned around, baring a freckled back to her. The request didn’t have to be spoken, and Eliza was quiet as she grabbed the soap and rolled up her sleeves.

There wasn’t much dirt on his skin aside from where his skin had been bared by his undershirt, so Eliza didn’t have too much to wash. She did feel a layer of sweat on his skin, slicking the water that cascaded down Sweeney’s back, and scrubbed the soap over his skin to get rid of it. Sweeney made happy noises at the feeling, twisting as she needed him to, and offered his thanks once she was done.

“Dunno what I’d do without you, lovely,” he admitted as he scrubbed through his hair. Sweeney’s eyes closed as he washed the shampoo from his red curls, and Eliza allowed herself a quick glance downward at what the leprechaun was packing. Even soft, he was impressive, almost a third of the length of his thick thigh. A flush crept high on her cheeks at the sight and the fact that her mouth actually began watering at the sight.

“You’d probably end up in a terrible position, and even more down on your luck than you already are,” she mused as she reached out, running a still soapy hand over Sweeney’s hair belly. He grunted, belly dipping at the sudden contact, but he didn’t tell her to stop. Eliza sighed, pulling away only to strip and then climb into the shower with Sweeney.  
It was beyond hot and beyond close, but Eliza adored how close they were. And from the way Sweeney was hardening against her thigh, he adored it as well.

“Though you were gonna wait,” he grunted, staying still as she reached around him for the soap and shampoo. Eliza shrugged one shoulder ad placed the shampoo bottle in Sweeney’s hands before she turned around, soaping up her arms.

“I was, but I figured why not condense two showers into one? The help the environment, of course,” she mused with a little grin. Eliza tipped her head back as Sweeney’s fingers ran through her thick hair, soaping the strands up without any protest. Eliza hummed a melody as she stood still for him, her eyes slotted closed. The handle of the shower, thankfully, detached and made it so Sweeney could also rinse her hair out. 

They moved around each other easily, not needed to speak much as they went through their routines, and Eliza was happy for it. When she wanted to be in her showers, she rarely wanted to speak to anyone. And Sweeney seemed tired of talking for the day, his movements slow and relaxed. She hadn’t seen him relaxed at any time when they were with one another, but it was a wonderful thing to see. A deep ache settled in her belly when Sweeney looked down at her, his eyes hooded and soft as his fingers ran slow over her cheekbones.

Eliza sighed softly and smiled, reaching around him to turn off the water. She tugged Sweeney’s hand gently, helping him step out of the shower. After he wrapped a towel around his waist, Sweeney handed her a towel, and picked her up once she was wrapped up. Eliza let out a happy giggle at the feeling, pressing her cheek against his chest. Sweeney was gentle as he placed her on the bed, a smile on his face when she stole a kiss before he pulled away. They broke apart to change, both sparing little glances at the other and laughing when they caught the other.

It was simple and sweet, an easy dance that they had together. Even without music, without knowing one another more than a couple days, they moved together as if they’d known one another for years. Eliza had half a mind that her soul knew his, that it wasn’t just his other worldliness that drew her to him. After all, who was she to say that reincarnation wasn’t real? Perhaps they had known each other in previous lives, made them the pair that they were now. She smiled to herself as she pulled on her sleep shirt, mind turning to the present when Sweeney’s hot hand slid over her back.

He had already climbed into bed, under the covers, and she had a feeling he had been trying to get her attention. With a murmured apology, Eliza slid under the covers next to Sweeney and pressed close, her eyes closing the moment she was against his chest. He only moved away to turn off the lights before returning to her, arms tight around her hips. Eliza let out a huge yawn right as Sweeney leaned in for a kiss, making him laugh a bit.

“Get some sleep, lovely. You and I both need it,” he murmured to her, his chin resting atop her head. Eliza hummed once before she yawned again, deciding that Sweeney was correct.

“Alright, bossy. Good night, Sweeney, sleep well,” she murmured against his collarbone, then pressed her lips to his skin. Sweeney’s fingers curled in the fabric of her shirt as he echoed his good night. It barely took him a minute before he was already limp against her, halfway to dreaming already. His snores began softly, and he barely shifted when Eliza moved down his chest. She pressed her ear against Sweeney’s heart, eyes closing as she let herself relax to the steady beat.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweeney and Eliza wake up to some chaos, and we meet new players of the game. Plus, Eliza gets the revenge she needs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this being so late! I was stumped for a while with this, and needed to rewrite a good portion of it. But, I’m happy with how it is, and present it to all the people following this!
> 
> Also, let me know if I should post a separate piece where Mad Sweeney and Eliza actually fuck bc I’m VERY ready for it lol.

Eliza woke to the tapping of a beak against the hotel’s window, and groaned against her pillow. Sweeney’s groan sounded from behind her and he rolled over onto his side, shuffling off the bed to let the damned raven in. It cawed at him, the noise grating against Eliza’s spine. She watched it speak to Sweeney, and him speak back, until both were satisfied. Sweeney returned to her side as the raven flew over. Its feathers fluffed up when she pet it, clicks of happiness sounding from its beak.

“Th’ Allfather wants us back soon. Wit’ the Dead Wife,” Sweeney sighed against the back of her neck. His arms were heavy around her hips and Huginn’s feathers were soft under her fingers. She reached past the raven to grab her phone. Audrey had texted in the middle of the night, and Eliza read the message aloud.

“Laura came back with one arm off, and puked up a mountain of formaldehyde. Got her arm sewn back on, then they… They drove to follow Shadow when a man and a jackal that turned into a man stopped them on the highway.”

Sweeney groaned long and deep at the news- and Eliza had a gut feeling that those were two more gods that she was going to meet. Huginn cawed a few times to Sweeney, the leprechaun replying with a pissed voice, then flew out the window.

“Get packed, lovely, gonna go back t’ your man and Wednesday,” he grunted as he stood. She rolled onto her back to watch him dress, her brows furrowed. They were to come back with Laura, but they didn’t have her just yet. Why were they returning now? Then, it hit her. Wherever Shadow was, Laura would follow. She despised the thought of seeing a cheating corpse walking around and trying to spoil Shadow’s mind even more than she already had, but there wasn’t any choice. She had to deal with it, and help Shadow deal with it as well.

The packing up was easy with Sweeney’s help, even if he did steal the occasional kiss from her and grabbed at her cheekily whenever he could, just for fun. She laughed each time and brushed him away with a grin. He was a sweet thing, one she knew she wouldn’t be rid of anytime soon. As Eliza had predicted, they were both addicted the moment they had kissed the first time. But she didn’t mind it too much.

It was a simple drive to the motel that Shadow and Wednesday were staying at, but took long enough that it was dark when they pulled up. Right when Eliza stepped out of the car, she saw the red and blue lights of a police car brighten the dark parking lot, and she spotted Shadow being bent over the hood of one of them. She sprinted from Sweeney’s car to Shadow’s side, but she was stopped before she could get near him. One of the officers held her back with his full strength, trying to keep her from thrashing around like a mad animal as she screamed for Shadow. Wednesday wasn’t a concern for her at the moment, she would take care of him when she was able to think straight.

“He’s being arrested, along with his conspirator and partner in crime, ma’am. We can’t let you near them,” the female officer explained to her, and Eliza stilled at the news.

“Why? I want to go with them, now,” she rasped, eyes wide and hair flung free of her ponytail. Movement out of the corner of her eye made her turn her head, and a Laura shaped shadow moved over the window of the hotel room Shadow had been staying in. She blocked out most of the officer’s words, other than the fact that she would only go with the men if she was involved in the crime.

“I helped them plan it,” she spat suddenly, head whipping to look at the female officer. Her eyebrows were raised high in a look of suspicion, but she nodded to the officer holding her for him to put her in handcuffs. Eliza was placed in the same car as Shadow, as they weren’t prepared to take three people instead of two. They both stayed quiet, but Eliza tapped her foot a few times against Shadow’s calf. They had their own little way of communicating, and he explained what they had done. Robbed a bank, scammed people of their money, and he was paid through their crime. It was enough that Eliza could come up with something suitable to tell in the interrogation room, and she nodded once.

 

After the interrogation- Eliza hadn’t given them anything except a bunch of bullshit- she was led into a room with Shadow and Wednesday. They were all handcuffed to one central point in the table, and they were given the opportunity to talk with one another. Once they were alone, Wednesday began staring intently at his handcuffs.

“What the fuck happened?” Eliza asked, and Wednesday looked at her with a slightly scared expression. It was something that she didn’t expect, and the fact of Wednesday being afraid of something was enough to make her anger stop short. He didn’t give her an answer, just said they needed to get out as one of his handcuffs popped open.

She took a deep breath when the lights began flickering, and hoped that this wasn’t where she died. It was frightening and awe inspiring at the same time, really. She jumped when a little bright blue and purple spider crawled atop her hand from Wednesday’s free ones. It paused while she collected herself, then murmured for it to “please, continue,” and it began crawling across her pale hand again. One handcuff had been popped when the door flung open and in floated- floated- Marilyn Monroe. Well, it was a woman that was dressed like Marilyn. Her face was that of I Love Lucy from the supermarket, and Eliza felt her anger come back. When Marilyn winked at her, she returned with bared teeth and a growl. After Marilyn came a man that Wednesday warned them not to speak to, and Eliza knew he was the one that they had been turned in by.

He was Mr. World, and he knew everything about Shadow just by him asking a simple question. Eliza stayed quiet, staring them both down. Every moment of her silence had Mr. World becoming more and more agitated, mouth curling into an annoyed sneer. He stepped close, hands outstretched to her, and he begged her to say at least something.

“I just want to know you, beautiful girl. Know what you’re doing with this old man and his helper,” he explained softly, one hand under her jaw. Eliza didn’t say anything, simply bit at his hand and tried to draw at least some blood.

Mr. World laughed happily at her attempt, moving away from her. She was entertaining, and a stubborn creature. The new god continued talking to Wednesday, explaining his plans with help from Marilyn Monroe. He wanted to rework the old gods, work them into the modern world and reinvent them. Wednesday grew starry eyed at the mention of war, but a kick from Eliza had him pausing. She shook her head at him, brows furrowed, and he denied Mr. World’s offering. He seemed mad at the prospect of being turned away, then snapped his fingers. Into the room came a bratty little bastard with the ugliest hairstyle that Eliza had even seen.

“Motherfucker. That’s the kid that tried to lynch me,” Shadow breathed, and Eliza looked at him with wide eyes. Her hands were free, and the little shit was right by her. Mr. World spoke his apologies, and the little shit offered his own, sarcastic one. Eliza watched him, waited until he said something stupid, and she launched herself at him. He made a squawking noise when the redhead landed a solid punch to his face, knocking out a few teeth.

The one handcuff that still kept her attached to the table kept her from being able to fully attack him, and she nearly dislocated her shoulder with how harshly she launched herself at him. The god looked frightened, shaking in a corner while Eliza backed up enough to fling herself at him again. That time, the entire table moved an inch and the screech sounded through the small room. She shrieked in fury, just short of the bastard.

“I had no idea a human could have so much… Rage. How amazing,” he breathed, and Eliza rolled her eyes.

“He almost killed my best friend in the fucking world, because his little pussy ego was hurt. God or not, I’d rip his head off if I wasn’t attached to this fucking table! He’s a little shit and I’ll kill him for what he did.”

Mr. World’s eyes widened and he grinned sharply, but Eliza didn’t give a shit if she gave him what he wanted. All she really wanted was to beat the little shit of a god senseless and give him a taste of what he had put Shadow through. The redhead was about to lunge at him again when she felt the tension on her wrist loosen, and she looked over one shoulder to see that Mr. World had let her arm free. The handcuffs laid pathetically on the table, though they still shone on Shadow’s thick wrists.

“The Technological Boy deserves a punishment for what was done to Shadow, my dear,” Mr. World explained in a silky voice. She knew it was a goad, knew she shouldn’t go for it- even Wednesday was telling her to just sit back down. But she was too thirsty for the god’s blood and to repay his harm to Shadow.

Tech Boy only had a moment or two to move before Eliza launched herself at him again, this time going the full distance. Her right fist landed square in his face, blood spraying from his nose as he howled in pain. Oh, the crunch felt delicious, and she pulled back for another punch. The second one hit his right cheekbone, undoubtedly cracking that bone as well, and she continued to rain hell on him. His cries turned muffled when she kicked a few teeth down his throat, cries for mercy from both herself and Mr. World falling on deaf ears.

She only stopped when Shadow slid up behind her, his strong arms wrapping around her belly and lifted her up away from the god. She fought against him, clawing at his dark skin like a feral cat until he let her go, and she flew once more at the Technological Boy. This time, he scrambled away from her quickly enough to evade a punch, but he still was caught by her hand in his stupid hairstyle. Shadow was quick to grab her again, but he couldn’t stop her from slamming the god’s head hard and sharp into the concrete wall. The crack that sounded before she was hauled away made her laugh happily, teeth bloodstained where the god managed to get her in the mouth with one stray hand. Eliza settled proudly in her chair, pleased with herself for the pain that she gave the god. Mr. World just chuckled, producing a handkerchief for her from what seemed like a cloud of pixels and static. Eliza simply ignored the offered scrap of cloth, licking the blood from her teeth as she looked over at Wednesday. 

“Shame you didn’t devote your blood to me, was a lovely little fight,” he laughed, making the human roll her eyes. Within a second of his words, Eliza spat a clump of blood and spit onto Wednesday’s wrinkled hand with a smirk. She enjoyed the slightly disgusted look on Mr. World’s face at that.

“There’s your blood, old man,” she retorted- only turning her attention away as Mr. World and Marilyn began speaking again. Their speech was nothing to Eliza, her eyes on the slumped body of the Technical Boy. When he twitched, eyes opening and looking towards her, Eliza sent him a ferocious smile. She was so proud of herself, proud of the fact she’d hurt a god of all things. The sight of the god shaking in fear from the smile she gave him was enough to make her shiver with pride.

“And you, dear Elizabeth…” Mr. World’s voice made her turn her attention away from the pathetic boy cowering in the corner, and she turned to look at his boss. Mr. World looked like the cat who got the cream as she stared at him, a dare in her eyes. “You will be monumental in the corralling of the old gods. Your belief, your fury-“

“I don’t give a shit.”

At her cold tone, Mr. World’s escalating tone shifted, and he looked at her in amazement. She shrugged one shoulder, examining her bloody knuckles and licking away the blood still on her teeth.

“What do you mean, you don’t give a shit?”

“I mean exactly what I said, World. I don’t give a shit about your war, about your vendetta against the old gods. I couldn’t care less. The only reason I’m with Wednesday is because of Shadow. And, I know he won’t join you, so there’s no incentive,” she explained. Her voice was precise and simplistic, as if he were an idiot for not thinking of that himself. “You’re not going to have me as a lackey, so get that idea out of your thick skull right now.”

Mr. World stared at her for a minute before he clicked his tongue, disappointment clear on his face. Marilyn’s skirt suddenly fell, gravity finally affecting it, and she sighed as she walked down invisible stairs.

“You’ll regret it, honey,” she said in Lucy’s voice, and Eliza replied with a ball of red spit on the hem of her pretty white dress. Lucy scoffed at the stain, cursing Eliza as she walked out of the room after Mr. World. The Technological Boy followed after them, whimpering to his boss how he was hurting so much from how meanly he’d been treated.

Shadow put one big hand on Eliza’s arm when the new gods had left and the door had closed behind them, and she took the calm as an opportunity to take a deep breath. Wednesday, on the other hand, was on his feet and itching for them to go, go, go. Something about the station made him seem on edge, and Eliza didn’t like it one bit. She followed Wednesday out of the station with one hand locked with Shadow’s.

She tried not to look at the bodies for too long.

Outside were a few cars, a few of which Wednesday was scoping to make a quick getaway in. Eliza made sure Shadow was fine before she went to Wednesday’s side, her voice pitched low to the old man.

“Laura wasn’t in her grave, Allfather. Sweeney’s coin gave her life,” she hissed, and he nodded somberly.

“She visited Shadow right before we were arrested, m’dear,” he replied. Eliza’s eyes went wide and she grabbed at Wednesday’s sleeve, meeting his mismatched eyes. 

He nodded again to her, and she groaned as she rubbed her face in annoyance. Guess she’d have to clean this mess up. “You guys go to the nearest town and lie low for a while. I’ll go to the motel and get our stuff- meet you wherever you decide to settle at,” she sighed. Shadow made a small noise of protest, undoubtedly about her potentially running into Laura, but she just waved her hand dismissively at him, her face set in a resolute smile.

“I think that is a great idea, m’dear,” Wednesday offered up, and she nodded as she went to one of the other cars to pop it open. Luckily, it was unlocked and still had the keys in it- maybe some of Sweeney’s luck had rubbed off on her in the time they had spent together the days before. Some poor sap in the station was probably thinking of doing a quick run in and ended up dead from whatever had Wednesday rushing.

The fact of an old god of war running from anything was terrifying enough, but the noises she had heard in the station had her shaking a bit as she put the car in drive. With a wave to Shadow and his boss, she pulled slowly out of the parking lot. Halfway down the road back to their motel was a man walking alongside the road, his stature huge and distinctive. Eliza grinned when Sweeney’s shackled hands stuck out, one thumb raised. As she pulled up to him, his face seemed concerned at the police sticker on the front. But when she rolled the window down and he saw her face, his concerned look dropped.

“Need a lift, Sweeney? I take it the cops got you too,” she laughed. He grumbled with a smile as he climbed into the passenger seat. His movements were slow and sluggish from the handcuffs hindering him, and Eliza looked around the car for a set of keys. Hopefully they were universal, able to unlock any handcuffs. As she looked in both the front and back of the car, Sweeney entertained her with his story of arrest.

“So the dead cunt breaks my fuckin’ fingers, almost burst m’fuckin’ nuts, and then has the gall to play dead when th’ cops show,” he huffs, and she has to hold back her laughter. He was so mad at Laura.

“She has a way of getting good people locked up for her mistakes,” Eliza mused as she reached over the back of her seat. A set of keys jingled in the bag in the floorboard, and she grunted as she grabbed them. Right as her hand enclosed the key ring she felt Sweeney’s cheek against her ass, his hot body pressed against hers as he hugged her hips. “Sween. What are you doing?”

His answer was a solid clap on her ass and a throaty laugh. She sighed as she stayed bent at an awkward angle, the headrest digging into the soft meat of her side. Eventually Sweeney let her go after pressing a kiss to her right ass cheek, and she chuckled a bit as she sat back in the driver’s seat. Her fingers were quick as she let Sweeney out of his cuffs and once he was free, the leprechaun thanked her.

“Careful. I might steal ya away, lovely,” she cooed to him, mimicking his accent the best she could. Sweeney laughed at that before he kissed her, smiling against her mouth.

“Y’did a good job wit it, darlin’. Sure y’ not pretendin’ t’ be American?” He questioned, making her laugh and shake her head.

“I’m sure, Sween. C’mon, let’s go pick up the dead cunt,” she sighed. Sweeney groaned at the thought of going to see Laura again, but quieted when Eliza pressed a kiss to his mouth and squeezed his arm in reassurance.


	7. The Explicit Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set between the next couple chapters, this is the chapter where Eliza finally gets some godly dick. And it might factor into some other events of the story, mainly when we meet the queen Ostara. 
> 
> There is some angst at the end, and I’m planning for a side chapter where we get to see how deep Eliza and Shadow’s friendship really goes ;3c

Eliza sighed as she laid in the motel room, watching Sweeney and Shadow chatting at the other side of the room. She ran her fingers over the shirt in her lap, looking over the embroidery that Sweeney wanted her to finish. He didn’t trust anyone except her to finish it. She was lucky her old Irish grandmother had taught her the traditional sewing and stitches, and that was enough to fix his clothes the way he needed. Her belief helped him while he had no luck, and she was happy to aid him.

She worked slow, choosing each thread carefully and making sure the pattern was correct before she began the long process of plunging the needle in and out of the fabric over and over. It was methodical and therapeutic, enough mental activity to keep her occupied but not enough to take her entire mind. Eliza lost herself in it, in the repetition, and barely noticed when Shadow had opened and closed the motel room door.

Hell, she would have missed the way Sweeney stared at her if she hadn’t needed to change the thread, looking up from the shirt and staring at the leprechaun. His eyes, whiskey brown, were soft as he stared at her. Sweeney looked like he was hurting, watching her doing such a simple and domestic act.

“Why the face?” she asked, and he grunted, brows furrowing in the middle of his forehead.

“M’not makin a face,” he replied simply.

Eliza furrowed her brows, setting the shirt on the bed before going to Sweeney. She climbed into his lap, despite his protests, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He grunted at the hug but didn’t shove her off. If anything, he melted into her.

“Usually when Shadow needs a hug, he makes a face like that. What’s wrong, Sweeney?” Eliza questioned. Her fingers pet through his mohawk slowly, an attempt to calm him enough to share. By the rumbling purrs Sweeney seemed to be letting out, it was a good choice. He was quiet save for the purrs as she pet through his hair, seeming to get his thoughts in order.

When Sweeney spoke, it wasn’t in his normal tone. This Sweeney was soft and fragile, and Eliza knew that he needed his time to open up the way she wanted him to. “S’ just… Y’ look lovely like that. Takin’ my shirt and mendin’ it, takin’ care of me, too. Makes m’ heart soft,” he murmured into her neck, his eyes downcast. He didn’t want to look at her, admit his softness.

Eliza smiled softly as she cupped Sweeney’s cheeks, her fingers brushing the wiry hairs of his beard into place. Gods, he was a sweet thing. So gentle and unsure despite his decades- even centuries- of experience in the world. She felt herself melting when his eyes met hers. They were unsure and gentle, a bit of fright in the crinkle of his brow. She didn’t want him to be afraid, but she knew he would be with her silence.

“I’m happy it makes your heart soft,” she whispered as she pressed her forehead against his. “I like you, Sweeney. I like you a lot. And not quite in the way I like Shadow.” Sweeney’s breath hitched as he heard that, his fingers curling in the soft fleece of her shirt. Eliza’s arms curled around his head, tugging him enough so the side of his head was pressed to her chest. She let him listen to her heart, let his eyes close slowly.

“I actually think I might love you, Sweeney,” she breathed against his hair.

The pained groan that sounded from him was a surprise, and she would have pulled away if his arms hadn’t squeezed tight around her belly and drawn her fully up against him. She balanced on the highest point of his thighs, her cheek pressed to the fluff of his red mohawk. Sweeney’s body shook against her enough that she could feel it in her bones. Eliza grabbed his cheeks gently, pushing his chin up to look at her in the eyes. She smiled sweet and soft at him so he’d feel alright, and the tension in his body melted away.

The tears didn’t, though. They stayed in the lower crease of his eyes, blurring his vision and making Sweeney scrub a hand at his face to make the tears go away. He hated crying, hated being seen as weak. But with Eliza, there was an element of safety that he’d never had before, and it was wonderful. He leaned fully into her hand as she ran her fingers over his cheekbone, gently pinching at the bags under his eyes to make him laugh a bit. 

He sniffled and closed his eyes as she reached out, gently wiping his tears away and cooing to him. Sweeney pressed close into the touch, soaking up the affection and care. It had been so long since he had been touched like this, he had almost forgotten the feeling. Normally the touches he got were harsh and unkind, intent on him being hurt or even dying, but this was something else entirely. Eliza touched him with care and love, intent on making him glow with the care she gave him. And glow he would.

When she shifted in his lap, fingers pressing into the soft skin under his jaw to make him look up in her eyes, he followed willingly. Hell, he even whined when she pressed close enough to kiss him. She let out the gentlest laugh as she rubbed her forehead against him before her lips met his. If Sweeney thought he was addicted before, he was dead wrong.

Just the feeling of her warmth in his lap, the softness against his mouth, made his head spin like a globe. Sweeney sighed against her and tried to pull her closer. Eliza let out a soft giggle, murmuring against his mouth that she was already pressed fully against him- she couldn’t get closer. Part of him wanted to say no, she could always carve him open- there was a place in his soul in the shape of her already. But all he did was whine, fingers threading in her hair nd making her laugh softly.

Anyone else, he’d fight for laughing at him. But he knew her, knew it was a loving laugh, that she wasn’t making fun of him. It was a refreshing feeling, to say the least.

“You’re hard.”

Eliza’s voice was soft and feather light when she pulled away. Her cheeks and hair burned the same bright red, and Sweeney felt his face turn bright as well. He didn’t mean to get hard- it had just been an accident.

“M’ sorry love… Didn’ mean to,” he rasped, trying to puh her off the growing bulge between his legs. But she didn’t budge. If anything, her arms wound tighter around his neck and her thighs clenched harder. He grunted at the sudden constriction, her hot cunt pressing against him through the layers of their clothing.

“Don’t apologize,” she breathed in his ear as she pet his hair, “I like it.”

Sweeney’s brain felt swollen and hot, his eyes crossed when she brought her hips down in a slow, clockwise drag. His mouth fell open at the feeling, tongue dripping spit on the curve of her neck as she worked her hips slowly. Eliza sighed in his ear, murmuring how much she wanted him, how badly she ached for it. It was enough to make him feel drunk, hung over, and on cloud nine all at once.

When she pulled back to look at him, Sweeney felt his cock throb at the look in her eyes. He could swear Eliza had hearts in her eyes, smile weak and soft as she stared at him with half lidded eyes. Some fucked up part of his head supplied the images from the rare times he had indulged in Japanese porn and the expressions he saw in it- and he felt wrong for thinking of her like that.

His mind focused on the curve of her mouth as she spoke, but his ears were fuzzy and hazy, the words escaping his focus. It took a few tries to focus fully, but Eliza just smiled and repeated herself.

“... sleep with you, Sweeney.”

He damn near choked.

“What?”

“I said, I really want to sleep with you, Mad Sweeney. Do we need to get your hearing checked?” she asked, vice teasing as she pulled gently on the lobe of his right ear. He flushed deep and pouted as he slapped her hand away, making Eliza giggle. She leaned down to take another kiss from him, something he was eager to give away to her.

“M’ not deaf, li’l bitch… Jus’ needed you t’ repeat y’self,” he huffed against her lips. Eliza just hummed, her fingers slipping down from his hair to the jut of his collarbone. She ran the tips of her fingers over his skin, slowly unbuttoning his shirt while they kissed. Sweeney sighed when her cool hands pressed underneath his shirt, then under his tank top, and finally against his skin. She had been stingy with touches, the only times she reached to press against his bare skin being when she wanted to tease him. Now that she was intentionally touching him, with the intent to fuck him, he was on fire.

Eliza kissed down his neck slowly, sighing and murmuring sweet nothings against Sweeney’s skin. His fingers pressed up and under her shirt, one curling around the swell of a tit and the other rubbing slow over the soft flesh of her belly. A primal part of his brain screamed for him to make her belly heavy, give her a sweet little bairn. He hated how hot it made him.

“Do you want to, Sweeney?” she breathed in his ear, hips once again rolling- but faster this time. He nodded, tongue too heavy to form any words, and the moan Eliza let free made him jerk up against her. Fuck, he was close already. He hated it, hated it so much. Sweeney almost hated her for the spell she’d cast over him and his heart, but he knew in his bones he could never hate her.  
His fingers moved to the band of her jeans, popping the button and pulling the zipper. She cooed in his ear as she slid off his thighs, letting the denim fall to the floor. Sweeney felt drool collect in his mouth as he saw she hadn’t worn anything under his jeans, the soft pale curve of her thighs framing his prize. Eliza giggled something about not having clean underwear before Sweeney snatched her hips, pulling and manhandling her into place.

She fell back onto the edge of the bed, her hips and thighs in the air. Sweeney’s fingers pressed firm into the plush fat of her thighs, his ass somehow still in the chair after he lurched it forward closer to the bed. Eliza cried out when he pressed his tongue, hot and wet, against her cunt. Her hand flew into his mohawk to pull and tug while he ate her out like a man starved.

It felt as if her nerves were alight as he licked into her, made her thighs squeeze hard enough around his head that he was afraid she’d fucking kill him. His body thrummed and pulsed with energy the entire time, cock aching in his pants. But he couldn’t give a shit about his feelings, not when Eliza’s voice was climbing to higher octaves. She almost screamed when he pressed his fingers in her, curling and curving just right to make her thrash on the bed.

She shouted his name when she came suddenly, spasming and clutching his head. Eliza jerked up, her body curling around his head enough that her belly pressed against the top of his head. He was shocked at the movement, the shaking skin all around him, but he would be damned if he stopped then. He only pulled away when Eliza was sobbing for him to stop, her nails digging into his skin and her voice quaking. Sweeney moved away from her cunt to her thighs with a kiss to the swell of her clit, making her hips jerk and her voice rise in a yelp.

Eliza’s head was a mess, stuffed with cotton and the faintest sparks of activity as she caught her breath. When she’d imagined his skills, she never expected Sweeney to be that good. Her eyes were hazy and unfocused as Sweeney dragged his thumb over her slit slowly, his fingers still inside her and making her feel a bit dizzy. He watched her every movement and his eyes seemed to glow in the dusky motel room, an inhuman brightness shining through the air.

She could see his skin glowing gold, and was reminded what he was.

“You’re glowing,” she managed to get out, a grin on her face as she spoke breathlessly. Sweeney’s brows arched upwards, his gaze running over his hands. Still against her pale, almost dull skin, he saw the golden glow and groaned softly.

“Y’ prayers… Wonderful li’l sacrifice y’ just gave me,” he grunted as his fingers curled in her. Eliza sighed and squirmed, a gasp sounding when he pushed a third finger inside. She mewled at the stretch, her fingers seeking his against her thigh. Sweeney took his time in taking her apart, feeling the glow of his heart and soul rise. He felt like the springtime, like he did when he was in his homeland and supped on the sweetest nectar and fruits of the forests.

And it was all because of the mortal woman in his arms, panting for him to fuck into her. Who was he to deny her?

It took some work to get Eliza back into his lap, her limbs weak and shaking from her orgasm. But once she was in Sweeney’s arms and had him pressing into her, she came alive again. He knew he was large, knew it would be a stretch. But he didn’t know that Eliza would go wild for him. The leprechaun could only hold on as she rolled and rocked her hips, fucking herself on him with a ferocity he hadn’t experienced in years. Every inch of his skin was on fire, sparking with glamour and sensation.

Eliza almost sobbed when she came again, around Sweeney’s cock, and damn near ripped his hair out at the feeling. Her face was buried in his neck as he grabbed her hips, fucking up harshly into her and reaching up into her guts. By this time he knew he was glowing bright as a star, and felt the rush of pleasure that preceded his own orgasm. When Sweeney moved to pull out of her, Eliza squealed. She locked her legs tight around his hips, clawing at his back to cling against the leprechaun.

He stilled and panted in her ear, every muscle in his body trembling as he warned her, grunting out that he was close, too close to last.  
Eliza swallowed thickly before pressing her cheek to Sweeney’s, her voice firm in his ear.

“Don’t you dare pull out, Mad Sweeney. Come inside me.”

The deep rumble of her voice sent him over the edge, eyes rolling up and fingers digging harsh enough into her ass to bruise. Sweeney didn’t know if she was on the pill, if she was okay to be creampied, but he didn’t give two shits as his balls pulsed and he filled her belly. Eliza shook against him and cooed, biting at his shoulder and leaving a solid mark on his skin.

When he was spent, Sweeney felt his body thrumming with gold, with energy that he hadn’t felt for years. His cock was warm and nestled somewhere sacred, his arms full of a darling creature that begged for a kiss. In short, he was in heaven.

Eliza sighed into their kiss, her body lax and loose as she pressed tight against Sweeney. Her nipples ached from the scrape of his chest hair, though she didn’t mind it all that much. The leprechaun took a few minutes before he lifted her up off his lap and placed her on the bed, his beard and lips scraping over almost every inch of her pale skin. She sighed, fingers still wound in his hair as he kissed down to her belly. One huge hand rested on the soft skin under her navel, and she felt the warmth of his touch in her womb.

“Y’ on th’ pill, lovely?” he asked, voice quiet and rough. Eliza considered lying, but knew it was the wrong thing to do. So she simply shook her head.

Sweeney groaned softly, rubbing his cheek against her belly like an overgrown cat. She shivered at the feeling and sighed softly, her eyes closing for a minute.

“I don’t even care if I get pregnant,” she found herself saying, and Sweeney’s breath caught against her skin. She continued, “I wouldn’t mind it- I think I’d love it, in fact. I just… Want something to share with you. Show the world how much we love one another, how connected we are.”

The splash of hot tears on her skin had Eliza jerking in surprise and shock. She looked down at Sweeney, seeing the tears in his amber eyes and the loving smile on his face. He moved up to kiss her deep, salty from the tang of his tears, and she cradled her leprechaun close. She knew it was special to him, the way she wanted to keep a part of him with her. And, the fact that he was a creature of fertility and luck that thrived on adoration and devotion from his followers.

“I love you, dove,” he murmured against her lips, and Eliza melted. “I’ll love the li’l bairn tha’ comes, no matter what time it does. S’ gonna be m’ dear li’l precious thing. M’ sunshine.”

Eliza let out a soft giggle as she hugged Sweeney close, feeling him stiffen against her thigh. “I love you too, Sweeney,” she sighed into his ear, fingers reaching to guide his cock inside her again. “Let’s try and make another one, make sure it really sticks.”

 

When Shadow returned to the room, the first thing he saw was the dull glow of Sweeney lighting the entire space. He was asleep and curled against Eliza, draped over her back like a blanket. The human, however, was still awake. Her eyes met Shadow’s in the darkness, and he smiled just so at her. He knew what had happened, he could smell it in the air.

Eliza flushed a bit when Shadow nodded once, his big brown eyes filled with some kind of hurt. She didn’t want to hurt him, didn’t want him to be jealous. It was unfair how her heart belonged to them both and how it ached for Shadow and Sweeney in the same beat. Her eyes were apologetic as he changed, moving quietly around the room and trying not to wake Sweeney.

Before he climbed into the other bed, Shadow crouched by Eliza’ side of the bed and took her free hand. His lips met her knuckles in a soft kiss and he gave her a melancholy smile.

“I’m happy for you,” he murmured before pulling away and climbing into the other bed. He faced away from Eliza, and she felt her heart hurt as Sweeney pulled her closer in his sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone keeping up with this and continuously loving it, I’m so happy I can entertain you all with my self indulgent needs lmao.


End file.
